Astronomy Resources on the Web

Last update: Oct. 4, 2005

The following are information resources on the World Wide Web that are available to astronomers and students of astronomy. Some of the following may only be immediately available to the students and faculty of Iowa State University. The web addresses have been included so that non-ISU researchers can get in touch with the publishers of the material.

Other online bibliographies of interest to astronomers:

• Physics Resources on the Web
  http://www.lib.iastate.edu/collections/eresourc/physics.html

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Citation Databases and Indexes

Primary Astronomy Databases

• ARIBIB (Astronomisches Rechen-Institut Bibliographical Database for Astronomical References)
  Astronomisches Rechen-Institut
  www.ari.uni-heidelberg.de/aribib/
  This database indexed the astronomy literature before 2001. It has two sources of information, Astronomy and Astrophysics Abstracts (1977-2000) and Astronomischer Jahresbericht (1898-1968).
• The NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
  Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
  adswww.harvard.edu/
  The ADS indexes the journal and conference literature for astrophysics and astronomy, physics and geophysics, and instrumentation. It also indexes astronomy preprint literature. Coverage for many of its publications goes back to 1975 but can go back much earlier. In addition to its indexes there is also an extensive set of fulltext journals that are available as part of its collection of materials.
• NTRS: NASA Technical Report Server
  Scientific and Technical Information Program Office, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
  ntrs.nasa.gov/
  This database indexes technical reports issued by NASA and other agencies that have technical reports, preprints, and other materials in the fields of astronomy, astrophysics, space exploration, and related topics. Some recent reports and other materials have links to the fulltext of the document.
• Aerospace & High Technology Database
  Cambridge Scientific Abstracts
  www.csa2.com/
  Aerospace & High Technology Database indexes the literature of aeronautics, astronautics, and space science and high technology in related areas of chemistry, physics, and other sciences. Journal articles (1962 to present) and technical reports (1986 to present) are covered. It is the electronic version of International Aerospace Abstracts and Scientific and Technical Aerospace Reports.

Other Databases with Relevant Material

• Applied Science and Technology Abstracts
  H.W. Wilson and Company
  www.lib.iastate.edu/collections/db/astixx.html (www.oclc.org/support/documentation/firstsearch/databases/dbdetails/details/AppSciTechInd.htm)
  Applied Science and Technology Abstracts (formerly Applied Science and Technology Index) covers the practical uses of science and technical information in all areas including physics, astronomy, and related areas. The database covers journal articles, review articles, conference and other meetings reports, and book reviews from 1983. For additional information on how to automatically receive updated information from the database go here.
• Current Contents Connect
  Thomson ISI (Institute for Scientific Information)
  www.lib.iastate.edu/collections/db/cccxxx.html
  Current Contents Connect indexes the most recent issues of the important journals in all academic disciplines. Generally new articles will be listed here before they appear in the major subject-specific databases. For additional information on how to automatically receive updated information from the database go here.
• Dissertations & Theses (formerly Dissertation Abstracts)
  ProQuest
  www.lib.iastate.edu/collections/db/dissab.html
  This database includes citations for dissertations produced in the United States and for some foreign universities. Dissertations are covered from 1860 to the present.
• Ingenta Gateway
  Ingenta
  www.ingenta.com
  This provides access to the full-text of over 14,000,000 articles in 27,000 journals in all subject areas. Articles from journals not subscribed to by the ISU Library are available from this site. For additional information on how to automatically receive updated information from the database go here.
• ISI Proceedings
  Thomson ISI (Institute for Scientific Information)
  portal.isiknowledge.com/portal.cgi?DestApp=ISIP&Func=Frame
  This databases indexes conferences, symposia, and materials from the meetings of scientists and other scholars in all subject areas. The database covers meetings from 1991 to the present. For additional information on how to automatically receive updated information from the database go here.
• MathSciNet
  American Mathematical Society
  www.lib.iastate.edu/collections/db/mathsc.html
  MathSciNet accesses citations published in Mathematical Reviews and Current Mathematical Publications from 1940 to the present. It indexing of mathematics publications includes coverage of mathematics used in astronomy and astrophysics research.
• NTIS
  National Technical Information Service, U.S. Department of Commerce
  www.lib.iastate.edu/collections/db/ntisxx.html
  NTIS is the general technical report database for the U.S. government. It includes research from a wide spectrum of technical areas, including including astronomy, astronautics, astrophysics, and related fields. The database begins with citations from 1969 but does contain some older literature. For additional information on how to automatically receive updated information from the database go here.
• OAIster
  Digital Library Production Services, University of Michigan
  oaister.umdl.umich.edu/o/oaister/
  This is an index to free, academic Internet resources. Access is provided to a variety of journal articles, technical reports, theses, software programs, and other materials from a large variety of academic, society, publishers, and other sources in all subject areas. All of the materials in the database are located on websites that are part of the Open Archives Initiative. Not all materials are available as full-text.
• PapersFirst
  OCLC (Online Computer Library Center)
  www.lib.iastate.edu/collections/db/papfst.html
  Indexes papers presented at conferences worldwide since 1993. It covers conferences in all subject disciplines, including physics, astrophysics, and related fields.
• Scitation
  American Institute of Physics
  scitation.aip.org/
  Scitation is the electronic journal publishing platform of the AIP. It includes a database of citations to AIP publications (journals, conference proceedings, and standards) and links to the actual articles (which are available to subscribers). It also includes the references to all articles included in the database and links to the online versions of those publications. It covers all areas of physics and related sciences. About 600,000 articles are included in Scitation. Also linked to Scitation is the SPIN (Searchable Physics Information Notices) database. In addition to AIP publications, it indexes materials from societies associated with the AIP. Scitation and SPIN can be searched simultaneously.
• Web of Science
  Thomson ISI (Institute for Scientific Information)
  www.lib.iastate.edu/collections/db/websci.html
  The database covers journal articles in all subject areas, including astronomy, physics, and related areas. It has standard indexing for over 7,000 journals but also indexes the references for all articles from those journals. The references can be separately searched to find articles that have cited the same publications. The citation indexed literature covers journal articles, books, conference proceedings, dissertations, technical reports, and other forms of literature. Journal articles from 1945 (in the sciences) to the present are covered. (Cited materials can be much older.) For additional information on how to automatically receive updated information from the database go here.

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Electronic Books and Data Collections

• The Astronomical Almanac Online
  United States Nautical Almanac Office and Her Majesty's Nautical Almanac Office (United Kingdom)
  purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS49630
  This is a collection of astronomical data that has been published and updated since 1767. The online version does not include all of the information in the paper publication (QB8 Un3a1, latest two years in Parks Reference).
• Encyclopedia of Astronomy and Astrophysics
  Institute of Physics
  eaa.iop.org/index.cfm?action=home
  This online encyclopedia has over 2700 articles. Articles include references and are hyperlinked to related articles.
• ESA Publications
  European Space Agency
  www.esa.int/SPECIALS/ESA_Publications/index.html
  This webpage has fulltext documents and information about print publications from the Agency. It includes a wide variety of products from scientific reports on ESA missions to news about the Agency's activities.
• esp@cenet
  European Patent Office
  ep.espacenet.com/
  This is a database of information from patents and patent applications from the European Patent Office, the World Intellectual Property Organization, Japan, and the United States. Entries usually include basic bibliographic information from the patent and an abstract. There is full-text information available for some recent patent applications and United States patents in image files.
• The Extrasolar Planets Encyclopaedia
  Paris Observatory
  www.obspm.fr/encycl/encycl.html
  The Extrasolar Planets Encyclopaedia has basic information about planets that have been found outside the solar system and news about continuing research in this area. There is also an extensive bibliography of publications.
• International Critical Tables of Numerical Data, Physics, Chemistry and Technology (1st Electronic Edition)
  National Research Council and Knovel
  www.knovel.com/knovel2/Toc.jsp?BookID=735
  This is a collection of tables with information on different scientific topics. Some sections have astronomical data. This is an electronic reproduction of the original seven volume collection of data in paper produced by the National Research Council in 1954.
• LEDAS (LEicester Database and Archive Service)
  Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Leicester
  ledas-www.star.le.ac.uk/
  LEDAS is a database of data from high-energy astrophysics observatories. The database contain observational information and is linked to literature references.
• NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database
  Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology and National Aeronautics and Space Administration
  nedwww.ipac.caltech.edu/
  This database is a collection of information on objects found outside of our galaxy. It contains the data that has been found about the objects, images, and literature references. The database can be searched by name or position. The literature references can also be searched as a literature database.
• USPTO Web Patent Databases
  United States Patent and Trademark Office, United States Department of Commerce
  www.uspto.gov/patft/index.html
  This website contains the official United States Patent and Trademark collection of patent information. The patents from 1976 to the present are available in a full-text, searchable file. The earlier patents are available as images of the original print. In addition to the patent database there is also a database of patent applications.

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Internet Sites

• AllRefer.com: Astronomy and Space Exploration
  Par Web Solutions
  reference.allrefer.com/encyclopedia/Science_and_Technology/Astronomy_and_Space_Exploration.html
  This is an encyclopedia with short entries on various astronomical terms, people, and organizations.
• CalSky
  www.calsky.com
  CalSky provides an online calendar of astronomical events. It is customizable to the observer's location and to the type of events contained in the calendar. Events that can be shown include planetary positions, star locations, dates of meteor showers, launch dates of manned space mission and satellites, and others
• ESA Portal
  European Space Agency
  www.esa.int/export/esaCP/
  This site has news and information from the European Space Agency.
• The Internet Public Library: Astronomy
  www.ipl.org/div/subject/browse/sci02.00.00/
  This site an extensive collection of links to Internet sites with astronomical information.
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration
  www.nasa.gov/home/index.html
  This is NASA's main website, with links to a variety of resources reflecting the operations of the agency. The following are specific webpages for major missions in progress:
  • Cassini-Huygens Mission (Saturn)
    www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/cassini/main/index.html
  • International Space Station
    www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html
  • Mars Exploration Rovers
    www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mars/missions/mer/mer-index.html
  • Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
    www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/MRO/main/index.html
  • MESSENGER Mission (Mercury)
    www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/messenger/main/index.html
  • New Horizons (Pluto flyby)
    www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/newhorizons/main/index.html
• Space Environment Center
  National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
  www.sec.noaa.gov/
  The Center monitors the sun and the space around the Earth as part of its research into solar-terrestrial physics.
• Universe Today
  www.universetoday.com/
  Universe Today is a news site covering the latest developments in astronomy and space science. Its "Links" page has a nice selection of websites covering all facets of astronomy.

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Observatories

• Arecibo Observatory (Puerto Rico)
  National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center, Cornell University
  www.naic.edu/
• Chandra X-Ray Observatory (Earth orbit)
  Chandra X-Ray Center, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and the National Aeronautics and Space Adminstration
  chandra.harvard.edu/
• Fick Observatory (Iowa)
  Physics and Astronomy Department, Iowa State University
  www.public.iastate.edu/~astro/fickwww/
• European Southern Observatory (Chile)
  www.eso.org/
• FUSE (Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (Earth orbit)
  Johns Hopkins University (and others) and the National Aeronautics and Space Adminstration
  fuse.pha.jhu.edu/index.html
• GALEX (Galaxy Evolution Explorer) (Earth orbit)
  California Institute of Technology and the National Aeronautics and Space Adminstration
  www.galex.caltech.edu/
• Greenwich (Royal Observatory) (Great Britain)
  National Maritime Museum
  www.rog.nmm.ac.uk/
• Harvard College Observatory (Massachusetts)
  Harvard University
  cfa-www.harvard.edu/hco/index.html
• Hubble Space Telescope (Earth orbit)
  Space Telescope Science Institute and the National Aeronautics and Space Adminstration
  www.stsci.edu/hst/
• Keck Observatory (Hawaii)
  California Association for Research in Astronomy
  www2.keck.hawaii.edu/
• Lowell Observatory (Arizona)
  www.lowell.edu/
• Mount Wilson Observatory (California)
  Mount Wilson Institute
  www.mtwilson.edu/
• National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences (China)
  www.bao.ac.cn/english/home.asp
• National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (Japan)
  www.nao.ac.jp/E/
• National Optical Astronomy Observatory (United States)
  Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy and the National Science Foundation
  www.noao.edu/
  • Kitt Peak National Observatory (Arizona)
    www.noao.edu/kpno/
  • Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (Chile)
    www.ctio.noao.edu/
  • National Solar Observatory (Arizona, New Mexico)
    www.nso.edu/
• l'Observatoire de Paris (France)
  French Ministry of Higher Education and Research
  www.obspm.fr/
• Palomar Observatory (California)
  California Institute of Technology
  www.astro.caltech.edu/palomar/
• Pulkovo (Central Astronomical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences) (Russia)
  www.gao.spb.ru/english/
• Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (Massachusetts)
  Smithsonian Institution
  cfa-www.harvard.edu/sao-home.html
• South African Astronomical Observatory (South Africa)
  www.saao.ac.za/
• Spitzer Space Telescope (Earth orbit)
  Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
  www.spitzer.caltech.edu/index.shtml
• U.S. Naval Observatory (United States)
  www.usno.navy.mil/
• Yerkes Observatory (Wisconsin)
  Astronomy and Astrophysics Department, University of Chicago
  astro.uchicago.edu/yerkes/

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Electronic Journals

The Iowa State University Libraries subscribes to over 29,000 journals. These can be located by searching in the Library's catalog. Some of these journals are available in electronic form. Generally the catalog's record will have a link to the web page of journals that are available on the Internet. Another way to find the electronic journals that the library subscribes to is by going to the e-Journals & e-Books page on the Library's homepage. This list includes a summary of the issues that ISU faculty, staff and students have access to.

A number of the large publishers from whom the library acquires astronomy journals have special features on their websites such as the ability to automatically send users copies of new tables of contents or find articles containing particular keywords. If you wish to use such services information can be found here:

• Elsevier Science Direct
• Springer

The following are some of the electronic journals that are of interest to astronomers whose subscription has been paid for by ISU Library.

• Acta Astronautica (International Academy of Astronautics and Elsevier)
  www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00945765
• Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics (Annual Reviews)
  astro.AnnualReviews.org/
• Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences (Annual Reviews)
  earth.AnnualReviews.org/
• Astronomical Journal (American Astronomical Society and University of Chicago Press)
  www.journals.uchicago.edu/AJ/journal
• Astronomy and Astrophysics (EDP Sciences)
  www.edpsciences.org/journal/index.cfm?edpsname=aa (2001 to present)
  www.springerlink.com/link.asp?id=300419 (1996-2000)
• Astroparticle Physics (North-Holland and Elsevier)
  www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/09276505
• Astrophysical Journal (American Astronomical Society and University of Chicago Press)
  www.journals.uchicago.edu/ApJ
• Astrophysical Journal Supplement (American Astronomical Society and University of Chicago Press)
  www.journals.uchicago.edu/ApJ/journal/toc.html#SUPPLEMENT
• Earth Moon Planets (Springer)
  www.kluweronline.com/issn/0167-9295/contents
• Icarus (Academic Press and Elsevier)
  www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00191035
• Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (Royal Astronomical Society and Blackwell)
  www.blackwell-synergy.com/servlet/useragent?func=showIssues&code=mnr
• New Astronomy (Elsevier)
  www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/13841076
• Planetary and Space Science (Pergamon and Elsevier)
  www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00320633
• Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (Astronomical Society of the Pacific and the University of Chicago Press)
  www.journals.uchicago.edu/PASP/journal/
  
• Solar Physics (Springer)
  www.kluweronline.com/issn/0038-0938/contents
• Space Science Reviews (Springer)
  www.kluweronline.com/issn/0038-6308/contents

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Created: June 7, 2005 (Richard Llewellyn)
Last update: Oct. 4, 2005
Current librarian for this area is: Steve McMinn, hsmcminn@iastate.edu

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